Obama delivers second inaugural address

America's first African-American president, Barack Obama, has laid out his vision for his second term. He says the United States does not need a perpetual war and he says his government will respond to the threat of climate change. However the democrat president faces problems with the Republicans dominating the Congress.

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TONY EASTLEY: America's first African-American president, Barack Obama, has laid out his vision for his second term.

He says the United States does not need a perpetual war and he says his government will respond to the threat of climate change.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: President Obama wore a dark suit and overcoat with a small US flag pin on the left lapel. His hair was greyer than four years ago.

In his inaugural address he set the tone for his new term.

BARACK OBAMA: A decade of war is now ending.

(Applause)

An economic recovery has begun.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: He spoke of the struggle for equal rights for women.

BARACK OBAMA: Our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.

(Cheers and applause)

Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: President Obama also mentioned the plight of immigrants and the planet.

BARACK OBAMA: We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations.

Some may still deny the overwhelming judgement of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: But Barack Obama can only do much and has to deal with a Republican dominated House of Representatives.

BARACK OBAMA: My fellow Americans, the oath I have sworn before you today, like the one recited by others who serve in this capitol, was an oath to god and country, not party or faction.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: President Obama has four more years in the White House but the recently retired Professor of History at Boston University Robert Dallek says second term presidents don't have as long to make a difference.

ROBERT DALLEK: A second term president only has about 18, 20 months in which to achieve significant reforms because then they become a lame duck - they can't run again.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Barack Obama's remaining time starts now.

This is Brendan Trembath in Washington for AM.TONY EASTLEY: North America correspondent, Lisa Millar was on the mall along with tens of thousands of others watching the inauguration events.Lisa, good morning. What was the mood like there?

LISA MILLAR: People were excited, Tony. They definitely didn't get the numbers that they had four years ago when that record 1.8 million turned up. This time they think it was around 700,000 who arrived on the mall.

It was still enough to close off some areas hours before the president spoke, and it made history yet again because it was the most number of people for a second inauguration, a second term inauguration.

So President Obama still making history as he heads into this next part of his career.

TONY EASTLEY: Lisa, is there a feeling that people are expecting more from president Obama in this second term?

LISA MILLAR: Four years ago they were here with the promises of hope and change, and many of them feel let down, Tony, and so there are great expectations on President Obama, that he's going to be able to get things through, get his agenda through this time round.

The people I spoke to who'd come from as far away as California, Florida, Iowa, they talk about their anxiety, given that they had so much expectation as to what could have been done over the last four years.

So it did have that kind of subdued feeling. It affected the mood even though the president spoke about how the economy is recovering, many people still feel there's a long way to go.

TONY EASTLEY: There is a feeling abroad in parts of the US that the president hasn't been the successful peacemaker, the negotiator, if you like, on Capitol Hill. Presidents in a second term have a bit of a mixed record, don't they, in the US?

LISA MILLAR: Well they do, and even though he is now still popular - over 50 per cent popularity rating - he knows that time is against him.

History shows that if he doesn't start moving swiftly on his agenda, whether it's climate change, health care, the economy, gun control, that he really has this year, perhaps a second year, to get things done.

America will start talking about mid-term elections. They'll start looking at candidates for the 2016 presidential election, Tony. He knows full well that he does not have time, that he has to move very quickly if he's going to have any success in his second and final term.

TONY EASTLEY: Is there any sign of a thawing in tensions between the Democrats and Republicans?

LISA MILLAR: Well he talked about compromise and unity in his speech, and he had Republican leaders at the White House this week, which some suggested might have been an indication he was trying to reach out his hand.

But others have said the kind of speech he delivered today showed that he has lost the pressure of knowing that he's trying to fight for re-election, he doesn't have to face that again, and so he is going to push to get his way.